Scott's like me!
Celtic star sees his own likeness in Hibs midfielder...

Opponents with only one defeat all season - a daunting prospect at any time but when you've just suffered a Cup Final defeat and there is open dissatisfaction in the stands over the management team and some of the players on the park itself, you could excuse them for feeling like they don't want to b there.  But be there they will and they certainly have the want to be out on that pitch as Roland Edge intimated at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

"It doesn’t matter who we are playing this weekend, we have to try to get a charge on for the top six, that’s what we have to aim for. Whether it was Partick Thistle, no disrespect to them, or Celtic, all the lads know we have a job to do. We have to try to pick ourselves up and try to do the best we can again.  We have to go out there and give it our all. At the end of the day everyone knows they are the strongest side in Scotland this year so we have to go out there, hope for a good performance and nick at least a point."   Celtic though have only given up four points in the SPL all season with their only domestic defeat coming at Easter Road as Hibs progressed towards last weekend's CIS Cup final.  Edge was philosophical about these facts though!  "Surely Celtic have to slip up at some point and Sunday, from our point of view, would be the ideal time."

With several of Celtic's key players set to miss out on Sunday, there could be a suggestion that Hibs will stand a better chance of taking a point or three from the champions elect than they perhaps would in a couple of weeks time, but the defender signed from Gillingham in the summer believes that the fact that Celtic will also potentially be fielding a much younger squad could provide as big a test for the home side if not more.  "Celtic have big stars but like at other major clubs most of the young talent doesn’t get much of a chance. Those young lads will want to get a regular slot in the side and when they are given an opportunity they want to prove themselves which makes it just as hard."  With Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, John Hartson and Shaun Maloney all out of the visitor's squad, it's perhaps a good time for Hibs to be short of their main central defensive partnership this weekend although rising stars Beattie and Marshall will no doubt give the Hibs defence, including Edge, a fair amount of work to do.

Brown and Lennon - similar in nature in late teenage years?  (sns)

Meanwhile, Scott Brown has been given backing from an unlikely source, Neil Lennon.  the Irish international has come out in support of the under-fire Hibs midfielder after recognising some of his own qualities in the 18 year old.  "He's a bit like I was at that age. With youth on his side, the enthusiasm maybe takes over a wee bit but when he gains more experience, he will be able to control that side of his game and he will be a better player for it."  With Lennon one of those players that opposing fans love to hate, the prospect of a fiery game in the middle of the park is always likely to be there but rather than looking to get rid of this side of his game, Lennon believes that Brown should keep and harness it.

"I don't think there is a lot wrong with how he goes about it. He's got an aggressive side to his game and it's good that he wants to win games and that it hurts him when things aren't going well."  While being perceived as being a 'mouthy' player by more and more opposition fans, Lennon does see some comparisons between them but insists that that is needed in some form from some players.  "Maybe he over-reacts a wee bit but he will learn to control that.  I don't think I'm overly aggressive as a player. I might have been when I was a bit younger but I've only been sent off four times in 500 games, so you can't put me in the Vinnie Jones category.  Maybe I've got a style of play that doesn't endear me to opposing fans but I'm not going to change it.  If you take that aspect away from players like myself and Scott Brown you lose something."  What everyone hopes for on Sunday though is that neither player over-reacts too much as the last thing that either side will need is another player out through suspension or injury.

It's been a while since I tried to predict how a game will go via a preview article and now is probably not the best time to start.  Hibs, suitably weakened at the back will still face a torrid time against a young strike force and with Varga and Valgaeren also missing for the visitors, Riordan and O'Connor could have a better chance of threatening Rab Douglas' goal.  However, the game will be won in the midfield and although I think Hibs will raise their game again on Sunday afternoon, I don't think it will be enough to turn over the runaway leaders of the SPL.  Much as it pains me to say it, I fear a three goal victory for Celtic with Hibs continuing their unenviable goalscoring record of the season to date.